First Guests on This Blog

I've hosted 4 persons in one week. I'm not sure what my flatmates things so dense tempo of guest, but for me this has been quite nice. I've had some free days and most of all, some free time.

All started while there was a Lithuanian guest Donaldas (HC) who came on friday evening to Finland. I had settled already some meetings with my friends for the evening, but I agreed to host this guy who was on a small trip to north. Donaldas is a student of history, he was interested about visiting sites like Cathedral and Suomenlinna Fortress. We walked around the city, from my flat to Kauppatori, where we saw old American cars, I think they have a meeting in Central market every friday evening. From there we walked through Design District to Fredrikinkatu and Loose, where I had to settle up a meeting with my friend M. Other friend K was on a trip from her home to meet me as well on that bar, so we stayed some hours there.

Donaldas drank one finnish beer (offered by me) and we talked really interesting topics, which we didn't quite share the opinnions, but still - he made me to think, that life is not everywhere like we have in Helsinki. Donaldas wanted to take some more night photos of Helsinki, so he left the bar and we met again at my home in the night. He had to left back to Estonia (visiting Saaremaa) on next morning, I bet before that he visited Suomenlinna. I was on a hurry to the works and from there to my friends wedding.

Next guests were a couple Auli and Cengiz from Turkey. They came on Thursday evening. The girl was finnish and a guy turkish, not quite common couple, and Cengiz was my first Moslem guest. I learned lot about Istambul where they live, and I genuinely enjoyed their company. We had a talk at my place, continued to bar-hopping (1 beer/1 bar). On a way to Corona (which is a quite known bar in movie-business) I met 5 friends who were going to see Hellacopters on same night in Tavastia. I was sad a bit, because I didn't have tickets to see that. Later on the evening I met some more friends and acquaintances who were going to see the gig as well. Cengiz saw a turkish restaurant (Pasha's) opposite of Corona and went say hi to the workers there. After that we continued to Loose (once again) and even later on to UKaleva on Kalevankatu to hear melancholic finnish songs, mostly about love. We felt tired all, and went back to home to sleep a bit.

Next morning we shared a nice breakfast (coffee, bread, cheese, tomatoes, juice) and during the night som of my friends (E, N and J) had came from to sleep on my couch. We did had a bit more conversation about Moslim-culture, Istambul and finnish culture until we went for shopping. Cengiz and Auli left on Friday to Tampere with shared ride to HC-meeting, where they never made.

During weekend I just met HC-couple Svetlana and Semeon from Russia (she's moldovian and he's russian), who were staying in the hostel. Still they ended up to my party (for closest friends) and after that to the bar(s) Loose and Stage. I didn't have much energy to sosialize much, but I learned where they came from and what they have found in Helsinki. They burned theirselves on a sun on friday in Suomenlinna.

Last guest came yesterday. Pekka (HC, finnish) came to see Metallica -concert to Olympic Stadium. We had met fastly in HC/CS/JD/BW-meeting in Turku, though he didn't remember it. I promised to host him, though he told he would come around 23-00 and leaving next day. Normally I consider heavily what kind of guest I will have (mainly calculate: do I have time, do I get some information what I would like to know, do I want to sosialize with person asking, do I really help person who is coming to visit and do they get something by meeting me -- not just staying on my floor), but this time it was ok to host someone I've met fastly. He came 23something and I offered him some bread. We talked something about music mainly and rested over the night. On monday we cooked together/separately (because I don't eat meat, just fish) and offered food also for my flatmate Suvi. He left to hitch-hike to Tampere. I don't know whether he made to Tampere or stayed somewhere in a middle on a motorway.

While all this week + couple of days, I've hosted my own friends too. They've used to use my facilities as an oasis in the middle of Helsinki. But well, they're using my hostel and paying back in friendship, which has lasted already years.

The aim of this blog is just to describe a bit what is life with intercultural communication, what do I do with these strangers from "outer space" and what kind stuff I do with guest and what I will show them in Helsinki. Not much though -- If someone feels offended with texts, I ask kindly to contact me and tell about it, so I can think what I will do for it.

Thank you, have a nice summer and be tuned for more guests. Next guest Jesse is coming on wednesday. And he's couchsurfer from USA.